


Season's Call

by AzureSummoner



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Blow Jobs, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Idiots in Love, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Oral Sex, Possessive Behavior, Pregnancy (mentioned), Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:33:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24441400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzureSummoner/pseuds/AzureSummoner
Summary: Heatfic AU.For Persephone, one of the Star's Seedbearers, Spring signals the beginning of her mating period.  An especially intense season catches her off guard, and she turns to Hades, the man of her desires, for help.
Relationships: 14th Member of the Convocation of Fourteen/Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch, Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch & Hythlodaeus, Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch/Warrior of Light
Comments: 25
Kudos: 164
Collections: Final Fantasy XIV - Emet-Selch x WoL Recommendations, Heat Wave





	Season's Call

**Author's Note:**

  * For [koosei](https://archiveofourown.org/users/koosei/gifts).



> Me: I'm going to work on Binding Ties! I'm so excited.
> 
> Also me: (receives a heatfic prompt from the Emet-Selch discord) Welp. 
> 
> Thanks, koo! This one's for you.

For Seedbearers, Amaurotines blessed with the gift of fertility, the budding trees and blooming flowers of Spring heralded the beginning of their mating season. Innocently enough, it began with a low-grade fever and dilation of the pupils. Butterflies in the stomach, sensitivity in the breasts and genitals, increased lubrication. Then came the _urges_ : ferocious bouts of arousal that became debilitating if not addressed. 

Further complicating matters was the need for a mate. While almost any compatible Amaurotine was eligible for the task, Seedbearers were predispositioned to choose those possessing high quality traits: academic excellence, creativity, and fondness toward children, as examples. An _exceptional_ mate escalated the Seedbearer’s seasonal suffering, amplifying their symptoms significantly. 

Affected individuals without a partner, along with those wishing to delay conception, were forced to dilute their symptoms through herbal remedies and potions. Others chose the comfort of a contraceptive and a trusted partner. 

However one dealt with it, the matter affected only a small segment of the population. The greater numbers in Amaurotine society were left in the dark about the plight of their neighbors and how best to aid them during these times.

Thus, Persephone was hypervigilant at Springtime, and for as long as she could recall her friends remained none the wiser. This year, however, would be most different. This would be the year of catastrophic failure.

***

As with many plans gone awry, it began with Hythlodaeus. In retrospect, it was even more terrible considering that he wasn’t trying to cause trouble. It was, simply put, his natural state of being. When he’d caught up with Persephone after classes that day it had seemed as any other, two friends walking home together. If left to her own devices, she might have spied the warning signs earlier, but in Hythlodaeus’ splendid company it was too easy to relax her guard. To complicate the matter, Spring had not formally begun. The start of the season was still weeks away, therefore she failed to think twice before answering his innocent question.

“Do you like him?”

So he had seen that, her classmate’s flirtations earlier in the day. The man in question was nice enough. Polite, mildly humorous, intelligent. But she didn’t _want_ him.

“No,” she said resolutely. “I have someone else in mind.” 

“I suppose it’s a secret? Well, that’s alright. You always were a shy thing.” She paid little mind to the knowing grin that crossed his lips. “Persephone having a romantic interest. What will Hades say?”

“He should be happy for me. At least I hope he would be,” she countered. 

“I’m sure. I only pray that the lucky soul is deserving of your affections.” His smile softened, and he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “You know that you could have anyone you desire, Seph.” The blush that highlighted her cheeks was endearing.

“Don’t say silly things,” she protested, to which Hythlodaeus shrugged in good humor.

“I mean it! You’re sweet as sugar, your concepts have captured _Halmarut’s_ attention, and you are lovely both inside and out.”

“I know what Hades would say about my ‘ _messy hair_ ’,” she laughed.

“He knows what he likes,” Hythlodaeus chuckled, which gave her pause. “Don’t be modest, Seph. You could even have _him_ if you wanted. And you _know_ how discerning he is about the company that he keeps.”

“Come on, Hyth, we’re only friends,” she pushed back. To his credit, he let the matter drop.

“Of course. Listen, whoever you have your heart set on, let me know if I can help. I mean it.”

They mostly spent the rest of their walk in comfortable silence, Persephone making occasional sounds of acknowledgement when Hythlodaeus recounted this or that. Hades had remained at the Akadaemia to complete his research. The lack of his presence wasn’t felt until later that evening, long after Persephone had settled into her empty apartment.

As she crawled into bed and sank into the pillows, her thoughts wandered to Hythlodaeus’ words. _Could_ she have Hades? No, Hyth was teasing. Hades had never sought her company in romantic fashion. They had known one another since childhood, surely he would have said something by now. 

Still her mind wandered the path as she drifted into sleep, promising to haunt her the following morning. 

***

It wasn’t only the following morning. It was the morning after that. And the next one, and the next. Soon the days blurred into weeks, yet no matter how she tried Persephone could not shake the seeds of doubt that Hythlodaeus had planted. 

_Ba-dum_.

Walking to the Akadaemia.

 _Ba-dum_.

Walking home, as they were now.

 _Ba-dum_.

Every time Hades looked her way. Every time that he smiled or laughed, frowned or sighed, Persephone could hear her heart thundering in her ears. His hand brushed against hers while walking by her side and she nearly crumbled. What would his lips feel like on her throat, she wondered? Those white teeth on her skin? His long fingers pressed into her hips as he— 

Yes, _yes_ , she wanted him. Whatever cruel joke the fates were playing, they’d won. They forced her to admit this truth, to confront it, for the start of Spring was days away. Once it began she would lose herself to nature’s whims, forced to trick her body into compliance through a mixture of herbs and potions. She envied those who had ‘ _help_ ’ from a confidante. No one knew of her personal condition, and she dare not speak of it. What would her friends think of her? Sweet, innocent Persephone, turned into some debased animal. They would never respect her again. She would lose their friendship. She would earn their derision. She would—

Hades was the first to notice that she’d fallen behind. He was by her side before Hythlodaeus had even turned around, catching her by the arm to steady her sway. Already a sheen of sweat covered her skin, breath coming in shuddered gasps as she fought her swimming vision.

“Seph! What’s wrong?” he asked, voice laden with concern. The scrolls she’d been carrying clattered to the ground as she wrestled out of his grip. Even through her robes her arm burned where he’d touched her, a fiery sensation that coursed through her body and went straight to her core. This was bad. It wasn’t Spring yet, not _yet_ , she still had time! Why was her body betraying her now? Why were these feelings — 

“It’s alright,” she spoke in a shaky breath, taking a large step backwards. “Guess I overdid it in my Concepts class today. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine,” Hythlodaeus countered in an even tone. “I can tell by looking at your aether.” She bit her lip. He _would_ look, which meant that Hades would also see…

“I’ll eat something and go to bed, promise!” she laughed, but both men had closed in on either side of her. 

“Not in that condition you won’t.” She couldn’t dodge as Hades put the back of his hand to her cheek, checking her temperature. He was touching her again. _Stars above_ , he was touching her, and she wanted nothing more than to take him by the wrist and take those fingers into her mouth. Curl her tongue around them, suck at the tips, pretend that she were sucking on his —

“H—Hades! I’m a grown woman, I can take care of myself!” 

_Taking care of herself_ was exactly what she intended to do once she reached the privacy of her home. Take the edge off, buy herself some time to collect her remedies. She endured this every year; not this early, nor this strong so soon, but she would be alright. She just needed to separate herself from the man of her desires and —

“I’m taking you home,” Hades insisted. _No!_ That was the last thing she needed, but she’d barely taken two steps back before bumping into Hythlodaeus.

“That seems for the best,” he agreed. “Perhaps you should stay the night to monitor her.”

“What!?” she cried, whipping her gaze back and forth between both men. “That’s unnecessary. I just need some rest!”

“And I’ll make sure you get it,” Hades assured her. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Hades, you don’t need to—”

“He does!” Hythlodaeus chirped. “Someone needs to prepare dinner, and you’re in no shape for it. You know that Hades is skilled with his hands. In the _kitchen_ , that is.”

“You’re not coming along?” she asked in a subdued voice.

“If you take a turn for the worse I shall fly to your side, but I have every faith that Hades can handle this. Come now, don’t look disappointed. You know that he’s a well sought after individual. You should feel flattered that you’ll have him _all to yourself_ for an evening.”

When she recovered from her malady, Persephone would have her revenge upon her ‘well-intentioned’ friend. 

Hades snapped his fingers and the scrolls on the ground dissolved into wisps of aether, safely stored for later retrieval. “Let’s go,” he repeated, to which Persephone dug her heels into the ground.

“You’ll make the poor dear walk when she can barely stand?” Hythlodaeus asked. He promptly scooped her up, ignoring her startled cry, and dropped her into Hades’ arms. “That’s better,” he decided, sounding entirely too satisfied with his work. “Well go on, see that you properly tuck our girl into bed.”

Things had gone from bad to worse in a heartbeat. Cradled like this she could feel the subtle flex of Hades’ lean muscles beneath his robes. Heat pooled between her legs as she considered how easily he carried her weight. The strength he must have been hiding all of this time in his back, his hips! Her thoughts drifted to how he might bear that strength while kneeled above her, her legs spread wide, the musculature of his abdomen undulating while he drove his hips into her again and again —

Though securely in Hades arms she felt as though she were falling, a wave of giddiness washing over her. She barely clamped a hand across her mouth to stifle a moan as her head fell against his shoulder, earning herself a concerned look.

“We’re leaving then,” he said in acknowledgement to Hythlodaeus.

“Right, go on. Take excellent care of her, Hades. Do call if you need me.”

Persephone was dimly aware of their parting, Hythlodaeus leaving in one direction while Hades carried her off in another. They were barely out of earshot of the other man when Hades analyzed her aether. The touch of his soul came as a shock that buzzed at every point of contact; poking here, prodding there, as if he were seeking some point of entry. Being penetrated by his _aether_ might have undone her on the spot, but the call of nature wasn’t so kind. There was only one way to settle her needs, and that was —

“What is this?” he thought aloud, and she knew that he was looking at her with that _sight_. Hades and Hythlodaeus were, so far as she knew, the only people upon the Star with such a gift. She knew that it allowed them to see things that she could only dream of: the color of a soul, the path it walked. They could even accurately assess characteristics of a person based on the tells of their aether, and that was the thought which brought her mind to a halt. What else could he see? Would he learn what was wrong with her? Would he see just how depraved she was?

“Even the color has changed. Just what—” She couldn’t let him look any further. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed, willed herself to clamp down on her essence and drag it deep inside of her, hide it away where even Hades couldn’t reach. His worry and vexation were immediate. “Seph! Why did you withdraw from me?”

“Don’t look,” she pleaded. “Don’t look, Hades!” 

“Why not? I’ve never seen such a thing before.”

“It’s embarrassing.” 

“Why should you feel embarrassed? Do you have some idea of what’s wrong? If so, tell me!”

When all he received was her silence, he responded with renewed vigor, his soul pressing in all around her. Why couldn’t he understand? Why wouldn’t he just let her be? He was making it _worse_. If he kept this up she would… she would…

He stumbled and nearly lost his grip when she suddenly shifted in his hold, clamping her arms around his neck. Her traitorous soul burst free from its hiding place and tangled itself around his, clinging wherever it could find purchase.

“Seph…?” he asked cautiously. She shuddered against him at the sound of her name. Could he tell? Did he feel the wetness seeping through her robes? The heat radiating from her skin? Would he know that _lust_ labored her breaths, not illness? His scent of warm amber was rich in her lungs. Her breast pressed into his chest, the friction of clothing irritating her sensitive nipple. 

“Your robes are damp,” he commented. _Did he know?_ “You’re sweating, and you’re shaking. Are you cold?”

“I don’t feel well,” she mumbled, barely audible. Someone was speaking, a voice she didn’t recognize. The sounds were muffled in her ears, but she could guess that some well-meaning citizen was inquiring about her health. Hades said a few words to reassure them and ward them off. Somehow his voice remained sharp and clear amidst the blur of noise around them.

“Just hold on to me, Seph,” he soothed. “We’re almost home. I’ll take care of you.”

She groaned in acknowledgement and did as he bade her. Neither of them spoke again the rest of the way to her apartment.

***

Hades didn’t set her down until he reached her bedroom, laying her upon the soft mattress. Her robes were indeed damp and uncomfortable, skin sticky with sweat. She was home though, and if she could just convince him to leave, then she could set about minding her ailment. 

If only it were that simple. Hades had been one of her closest friends since childhood. If he suspected that anything was amiss there was no way that he would leave her side. What if she told him, though? What if he were _willing_? Could she finally confide in him about this condition, this curse she suffered through each Spring? He was the person she trusted most in all of creation. Even above Hythlodaeus, as guilty as she felt for admitting that. If Hades understood that she was suffering from something outside of her control, would he be minded to help? 

She squirmed around on the bed, desperate for some relief between her thighs when he found the edges of her mask, gently plucking it from her face. For the first time that day they laid eyes upon one another’s bared expressions. His brows knitted together with concern.

“Are you still feverish?” he wondered aloud. Before she could protest, he had leaned down to press his lips to her forehead. She swooned.

“Careful!” he scolded, gripping her by the arm before she toppled over. “You’re still warm. What did you _do_ in your Concepts class? Must I have words with your professor?”

“What? No! I mean, that’s unnecessary. If I overdid things it’s my fault,” she reasoned, hoping that he would let the matter drop. “I’ll get some sleep now, I’ll be alright. You need not stay.”

“I should leave while you’re in distress?” he asked. “I think not. Now come on, lift your arms.”

“Wh—what? Why??”

“So I may peel these clammy robes off of you. Or did you forego proper clothing beneath them?” he teased, shaking his head. 

“I’m not a child!” she whined, batting his hands away. If he were to peer beneath the cloak he would surely see the shameful wetness pooled between her legs. “I can undress myself.”

“Then at least let me draw you a cool bath. It may do you some good,” he insisted. “Soak and rest for a time, and I shall be right here if you need me.”

“Right here?” she questioned. Hades gestured to a chair in the corner.

“Yes? You’re prone to fainting in this state. Or do you still expect me to abandon you?”

This was no good. She wouldn’t be able to relieve herself with Hades sitting outside of the bathroom door. If she didn’t give herself away with her wailing, then he would surely notice a change in her aether. What would he think? Would he despise her for being so crude, walk out in disgust? Or would he stand there entranced, leering over her nude body? If he caught her just as his name spilled from her lips, her fingers deep inside —

“Maybe you’re just looking for an excuse to rummage through my underwear drawer,” she taunted, hoping to catch him off guard.

“Don’t give me ideas.” It didn’t work. He shamelessly pulled his own robes over his head, his shirt riding up just enough to offer a peek at his navel and a hint of muscle at his midriff. Her mouth ran dry as he casually tossed the garment onto the chair. How did he make a simple button-down shirt look so good? The material hugged his broad shoulders and tucked in at his slim waist, not too tight, but enough to suggest a handsome silhouette. He wore a belt to keep his slacks from sliding down his hips, but they fit him so well and she was sure that she could see the outline of his —

“Seph?” His voice lured her out of her stupor. 

“Ah?” She attempted to clear her throat amid the dryness there. Her voice was rough when she spoke. “Thirsty,” she managed, to Hades’ aggravated huff.

“If you expire from something so simple as _dehydration_ on my watch I shall never hear the end of it.” He _snapped_ , and a flurry of aether around his hand coalesced into a drinking glass filled with fresh water, which he handed off to his charge. “Drink it. All of it. There, good.”

Satisfied that she would no longer dry out, he rolled up his sleeves and wandered off to the bathroom. After a moment she could hear running water as he filled the tub. What was she to do? Persephone stumbled across the room to retrieve clean clothing from a dresser. Hades was still busy, and an idea came to mind. She darted across the room to her nightstand and sifted through its contents until she found a small pouch which she tucked into the bundle of clothing she held. Just in time as he appeared in the doorway, the calming scent of lavender wafting in after him. Her breath caught as she looked him over; an arm raised above his head and braced against the door frame, hip cocked to the side. He ran a hand through his short hair. Her knees wobbled.

“There, it’s ready. Your fingers had better be thoroughly wrinkled before you come out.”

He stepped out of the doorway and brushed past her to drop into the chair, summoning a book to his hand. “Well, go on. Call if you need me.”

“Th—thanks,” she mumbled, sparing one last glance his way. He already had his nose stuck into his studies. Maybe this would work. 

She closed the door behind herself and dropped her clothing onto the counter, quickly tugging off the filthy garments she still wore. She grimaced as her smallclothes peeled away uncomfortably. They stank of sweat and arousal and it was any _wonder_ that he hadn’t detected this, but she would take whatever small blessings afforded her. 

Persephone twisted her hair up and pinned it atop her head before sinking into the cool water. She grabbed her soap and washcloth and started at the top, washing her face, neck and shoulders before pausing at her breasts. Her soapy hands slipped easily along the tender skin, across nipples that were taut and sore. The washcloth fell to the water as she spent entirely too long analyzing herself, cupping a breast in either hand. What would Hades think of this body, she wondered? Their size was pleasing, at least she thought so, tipped with nipples a delicate rosy color. She brushed her thumbs around her nubs and sighed at the pleasant shiver that coursed through her. What if it were Hades putting his hands here, like this? He had powerful hands with long, elegant fingers. She knew the feel of those hands well from all the times they’d touched over the years, as friends do. She knew all the little rough patches of skin that came from decades of working with compasses and scales and mitres. She thought about what he could _do_ with those hands, a whimper escaping her as her imagination ran wild. What if it were _his_ thumbs stroking those pink buds, the gentle scratch of calloused pads circling and rolling and _pinching_? Maybe he would put his mouth on her, laving her sensitive skin until she dripped with his saliva. Would that please him? She pictured what it would be like to look upon Hades with those brilliant aurum eyes darkened with lust, tilted up at her as he sucked at her breast and —

“ _Oh!_ ” she gasped, shocked by the pleasure that rippled through her sex and made her thighs tremble. What was _that_? 

“Seph?” The water might have boiled with the heat that erupted through her body again. Hades was calling to her. Had she been that loud? “Are you alright? Do you need me to—”

“I—I’m fine!” she hurriedly called back. “I felt a little sick, but I’m OK now!”

She strained her ears to listen for any sound of movement, but all was quiet.

“Alright,” he relented. “Call if you need me.”

“O—OK!” 

She made a point of splashing about in the water afterward, lest he come barging in to ‘rescue’ her. Well, her fingers had pruned as he had wanted. She finished washing herself down, frowning at the mess between her legs as she rinsed it away. It was a temporary relief, but at least she could feel clean for a scant time. That left one last matter.

She climbed out of the tub, pulled the stopper loose, and set about toweling herself dry. The little pouch she’d brought in sat on top of her clothing. She snatched it up and untied the drawstring to shake out its contents. Horror ran through her like a bolt of levin.

She hadn’t replenished her ingredients.

The dried leaves sprinkled across her nightgown were the ones used to brew a contraceptive, _not_ those she used to suppress her arousal. She shook the pouch again as if to make doubly sure, but nothing further spilled out. What a fool she was! Growing complacent because every other year had run smoothly enough, and furthermore she should have a few more days yet! What went _wrong_ this year? Why had her symptoms come early? Why were they already so _intense_?

She could handle this part, at least. First thing’s first. She scooped the herbs back into the pouch and tossed her towel across the edge of the tub, dressing quickly in her fresh outfit. Satisfied that she was as ready as she could be, she threw open the door and stepped back into her bedroom. Hades glanced up, to which she offered a brief wave. So far, so good. She went again to her nightstand and pretended to fish around for something before producing the little bag in hand.

“Um, Hades?” she asked. He perked up and instantly snapped his book closed.

“Yes?”

“Ah, my stomach is a little upset. These are herbs I use to brew a calming tea. It only takes an onze. Would you mind…?” He stood and crossed the room to take the little pouch away, giving it a cross look.

“What is it?” He _would_ ask.

“Smartweed.” She cursed herself for telling the truth, but then Hades wasn’t an herbalist. He wouldn’t know.

“I’ve never heard of this as a remedy for nausea,” he commented dryly. Damn him! When had he paid attention in botany class!?

“I made it myself,” she insisted. “ _Ha—Halmarut_ trusts my knowledge of plants! Isn’t that good enough?” She put on the sweetest smile that she could muster for effect.

“... I suppose. How’s your fever?” he asked. She dodged his hand. She saw the way his brow creased in question, but he didn’t press her. “Alright. Why don’t you crawl into bed and get comfortable? I’ll be back soon.”

She let out a breath and relaxed only a little as he disappeared from the room. This was still bad. It was _terrible_. She nearly ripped the drawer from the nightstand as she once more dove into its contents, finally retrieving a miniature book with a slip of paper sticking out. Her notes for the dampening potion. She snatched the paper out and scanned her handwriting before throwing it back into the drawer. Some ingredients she grew here at home, but the last few she would need to gain from the markets. There was no way that Hades would let her leave the apartment, and she wouldn’t be able to give him a list without fielding a hundred questions about each one and its intended purpose. 

She only really had one choice left. She would need to confide in him.

The very idea terrified her, yet it was _thrilling_. This was _Hades_ , and she… she loved him. The fine hairs at the back of her neck prickled. If she told him of her despair would he help her? Wasn’t he the very reason that she had driven away all other suitors, even as _he_ bedded other women? Her doubts were returning. Hades was no virgin. If he had wanted Persephone, then he would have said something by now. This pining was hopeless, a one-sided attraction. They were childhood friends, and that’s all she would ever be to him. Even if he took pity upon her and got her through tonight, where would that leave them? This would ruin their friendship. Would she be alright with that? Would one night of pretending that he wanted her back be worth losing him forever?

When Hades returned, he found Persephone sitting up amongst her pillows with the fluffy blankets pulled up to her neck. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair was falling loose from where she’d pinned it. She appeared lost in thought.

“Seph?” he prodded. “Your tea. I’ll leave it here,” he said, setting the cup and saucer on her nightstand.

“Thanks,” she responded. She shuffled to the edge of the bed to lift the delicate cup, raising it to her lips. She paused and frowned.

“What’s the matter?” he asked. He’d already dropped back into the chair in the corner.

“This stuff doesn’t taste very good,” she complained. For a long moment she prepared herself, then at last put the cup to her mouth and drained the bitter liquid in one go. The sharp, peppery flavor left her coughing and sputtering and made her eyes water.

“I can’t imagine how that will calm your stomach, but I hope that it helps.”

“It will. It’s just no fun on the way down.” Persephone moved back toward the center of the bed and tried to relax against the pillows. She adjusted herself once, and then again. She gave up and turned her gaze toward the man sitting in her room. “Are you planning to sit there and watch me sleep?”

“Hmm? I’m thinking.”

“About what?”

“It doesn’t matter.” He lingered a moment, then rose to his feet and brushed some imaginary wrinkle from his shirt. “I’m not comfortable leaving you alone, but I suppose I’ll sleep in your living room. You _will_ tell me if you need anything.” 

“Yes,” she nodded. 

“Goodnight then.” He turned to leave and Persephone watched him, a familiar tickling stirring again at her center. She couldn’t help it, Hades was just so unfairly _attractive_. The mild flex of his back beneath the button-down shirt from something so simple as _turning around_ recalled to mind the way he’d held her earlier in the day; how he had carried her halfway home from the Akadaemia and refused to let her go until she was safe in bed. She wanted him terribly. Wanted to rake her fingers through his snowy hair, run her palms along the flat of his stomach, all the way down to his —

She clasped her hands across her mouth to muffle her wanton moaning. She’d drawn his attention back to herself. He wouldn’t leave her alone now.

“Seph?”

“Ha—Hades,” she whispered. Her tongue felt thick. “Would you…” What was she thinking? This was a _terrible_ idea, but her words refused to remain unspoken. “Would you lay here with me for a bit?”

She silently cursed herself, already feeling the dampness of arousal on her smallclothes. Hades froze in the doorway, watching her, wide-eyed. His lips were parted, but no sound came out. What was he thinking? Was this where he would reject her? 

“Please?” she pleaded, hating how vulnerable she sounded. He wouldn’t refuse her in this weakened state. Only, she wasn’t weak. This was nothing but a facade being driven by the returned haze of lust, coupled with knowing that _Hades_ , the man she yearned for, was standing right here in her bedroom. 

“I can… sit here with you, if you wish.” He was moving back toward the chair when she stopped him.

“No. I mean, w—would you…” She looked to the empty spot in the bed beside her. He followed her eyes.

“Seph, I don’t…” He rubbed the back of his neck, closing his eyes as if struggling with her request. 

“ _Please_ ,” she whined. “I need to talk with you.” She was pouting; she could feel the push of her lower lip and she hated herself for it. But it worked. Hades appeared to wrestle with something internally, then slowly kicked off his shoes and wandered to the bedside. She rubbed her hand over the spot beside her, looking up at him expectantly.

He parted his lips again, closed them, and sat upon the edge of the bed as delicately as he could manage. 

“OK.” He cleared his throat. “What do you need to tell me?”

That wasn’t good enough. Did she see how he shook when her hand closed around his wrist? He looked over his shoulder and for a long time they watched one another. Then she pulled at him, guided him to lie beside her toward the center, and this time he followed. He didn’t appear quite at ease as she pressed him back against the pillows and was no better off as she settled down at his side. She found his hand and laced their fingers together, ensuring that he wouldn’t think to pull away.

“Alright,” he started quietly, staring straight forward. “What’s going on?”

She edged closer, lowering her head to rest against his arm. He tensed and she gripped his hand all the harder for it.

“I… I lied to you,” she admitted with some difficulty. “I know what’s wrong with me and I’m… scared to tell you.”

“You’re scared. Alright.” She swallowed the lump in her throat as he squeezed her hand. “I don’t want you to feel scared.”

“You’ll think I’m a terrible person.”

“No, I won’t. I would never.”

“You might.” That’s when she realized the sensation at the back of her hand; Hades’ thumb moving in soothing strokes across her skin. Her sex ached for him. She fought down the urge to mount his lap right then.

“Spring begins in a few days,” she said. He nodded, still looking anywhere but at her. “Every Spring I get… sick.” He seemed to consider this.

“You _do_ act differently during the season,” he admitted. 

“You’ve noticed?”

“You wander about in a fog, yes. Whenever I’ve asked about it you wave me off.” He had asked? She racked her brain but she couldn’t remember. 

“Do you know why?”

“I expect you’ll tell me.”

She was keenly aware of the way her breasts pressed into his arm. Did he notice, she wondered? He was warm, _so warm_ , and his scent was driving her wild. Brilliant amber, resin and musk. It made her head spin with its sensuality. She was unaware that she’d laid her other hand upon his chest until she felt his breath hitch. His heart hammered against his ribs, but she couldn’t bring herself to release him.

“Hades, I am… I’m…” She twisted her fingers into his shirt. “I’m a _Seedbearer_.” His heart skipped a beat.

“A what?” 

“A Seedbearer,” she repeated. “The Star blessed me with a gift of fertility. Every Spring I…” She relaxed her fingers, smoothing her hand across his chest, feeling again the lean muscle that she had pressed against earlier that day. “I go into heat. I—I can’t help it. The Star itself wills me to…” Her nails raked across his chest through the fabric of his shirt, causing him to shiver. 

“You can’t deny it,” he stated. His voice came out uneven.

“No. I make potions to suppress the urges. Th—they help, but they also dull everything around me. That’s why I act so strange during the season.” She shifted to settle her leg over Hades’ thigh, the hem of her nightdress riding up to expose more of her skin. Her heated sex dug into his hip, sparking a sensation of euphoria and relief. She needed more.

“I messed up,” she puffed out. “It shouldn’t have started yet but already it’s this bad. I can’t make the potion, I don’t have the ingredients.”

His thumb stilled, pressing into the back of her hand. “Give me a list. I’ll—”

“Don’t leave me,” she pleaded. Her hand moved from his chest, sliding down the flat of his stomach, coming to rest at his belt. “I’m suffering. Help me…”

He opened his mouth to gasp for air, still refusing to look at her. “I—I can’t. You’re being forced. You don’t want this.”

“But I do!” she cried, grinding her crotch against him. “I hate drinking those potions! I hate being _drugged!_ I don’t feel like myself.”

“Seph, think of what you’re saying. You’ll get—”

“No, I won’t. That tea was—”

“I know what it’s for,” he revealed, his tone harsh. “Your living room is a library of botanist’s tomes. Did you think I wouldn’t look it up?” Her stomach twisted.

“Then you know it’s OK! I just need—”

“It’s still risky,” he argued. “You’re _sure_ that your remedy is foolproof? _Effective?_ What if I’ve measured the dosage wrong? How fresh were those leaves? Do they degrade over time?”

“I know what I’m doing!” she asserted. “I’m forced to deal with this every year!”

“Then you’ve…” He couldn’t bring himself to say it. “You’ve done this before? Without potions?” She struggled to get her voice out.

“No. Never.” Her hand slipped lower. He hissed as it came to rest across the stiff bulge at his front. “Hades, you’re already this hard…”

“Why now?” he asked, squeezing his eyes shut. “Why me?”

“I’ve always wanted it to be you. You’re the person I trust the most, but you… Sometimes you had someone else already. And the other times it scared me…” 

His thumb would leave a bruise from how deep it pressed into her skin now. “I—I’m sorry, Persephone. I can’t do this. I can’t be some seasonal fling, but I will help you, I _promise_. Give me your list. Tell me what you need and I’ll—”

She released him suddenly, springing up from the bed to swing herself across his lap. His golden eyes flew open, hyper focused on her deep blue ones as she gripped at his shirt collar. She kissed him. Persephone was _kissing_ him. Her tongue was in his mouth, bitter from the tea but he didn’t care, not until his lungs threatened to burn out from a lack of oxygen. 

She released him, their breath mixing as they both sucked in air. His hands were around her waist. He didn’t remember moving them there. 

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” she whispered, running her fingers into his hair. “So soft. I knew it would be.” She squeaked as Hades pulled her against him, sealing their lips together once more. This time she followed his lead, letting him explore until they were once more forced to part.

“You’re a virgin,” he murmured against her lips. “I doubt that anyone has kissed you before now.”

“You don’t know that,” she bit back. 

“Yes I do, you clumsy thing. I thought women practiced this with a pillow?”

“That’s just silly. Kiss me again.”

“No.”

“What? Why not?”

“We need to stop this,” he insisted, reaching up to take her wrists and remove her hands from around him. “Come on, Seph. You need to get up.”

“Hades? No, please! Don’t push me away.” She fought against his grip.

“You’ll regret this.” She dug her knees into the bed for leverage, using the strength in her hips and legs to push back against him.

“I _won’t!_ I _want_ this! Don’t you—? You’re turned on, aren’t you?”

“That’s something I really can’t help.” He pushed her backwards, releasing her wrists. She fell onto her bottom between his legs.

“Hades! Don’t you want me?” He scowled.

“Don’t ask me to take advantage of you.” He moved as if to get up and leave. She sat up and pressed down on his legs to hold him in place.

“Wait! Don’t go. This isn’t some fling! I’ve _always_ wanted you, I swear it!” He was reaching for her again, but that gave him pause.

“You don’t mean that,” he said, but he sounded unsure.

“Yes, I do. For a long time.” She shifted forward to her hands and knees, kneeling over his leg. Her nightdress hung open at the front giving him an eyeful of her breasts. “I’ve had so many thoughts about how I would finally tell you, but I never had the courage. Like the time Hyth and I pranked you with the cactuar. You caught only _me_ and you put me against the wall. Do you remember that?”

“Yes,” he nodded, tearing his eyes away from her cleavage.

“I wished so _hard_ that you would press your entire body into me, really hold me at your mercy. Or all of those times it was just you and I at your apartment.” Her hand was on his knee, moving upward. “I’ve imagined a lot of things happening there. Maybe I’d catch you in the kitchen one day and you would bend me over your countertop. Or you’d carry me off to your room and press me into the sheets until I couldn’t move.”

His pupils blew wide, chest heaving as he struggled to take a breath. Watching her creep ever closer.

“But most of all, I imagined what it would be like to taste you. Especially when listening to Lahabrea’s boring speeches, my mind would drift until the fantasies consumed me, fantasies of what it would be like. Would you be big down there? How would you smell? Would you be sweet or bitter for me?”

“You will ruin me,” he croaked out, his tongue flicking out to lick dry lips. “Do you really… Persephone, do you _really_ want this?” he asked. Her response was immediate and resolute, the next moments occurring in a blur. 

“Yes! I can’t take this anymore! Hades, help me please!” she cried, falling forward to claw at the front of his shirt. Buttons popped open beneath her touch, one torn from its threads in her desperation. Her knee between his legs stopped just shy of his arousal. She was weakening his last defenses. It was clear in his eyes, the bob of his throat, the way his fingers pressed into the flesh of her hips as she crawled over him. 

“Just let me… let me…” Her hands slid against his shoulders and down to his chest, lips at his jaw, kissing and sucking her way across his skin. Finding one taut nipple she rolled it between her fingers, choosing that moment to seat herself fully in his lap. She pressed her soaked sex against the hard thing in his pants and rolled her hips into him, moaning as he took her tongue into his mouth. His hands were on her bottom, pulling her against him now as he thrust his hips upward. With a sharp inhale he broke their kiss.

“You’re sure… you’re _entirely_ _sure_ …?” he growled, dipping his head to nip at her throat. 

“Yes! _Yes!_ ” she hissed. “There’s no one else! I only want… ahh… Do this for me. Do this and I’ll give you whatever you want! I’ll be your wife, I’ll be your _slave!_ Make me yours and I’ll belong only to you, Hades! But I need this… I need _you_ …”

He shuddered beneath her, gasped in her ear. His fingers trembled and loosened at her hips. He still attempted to deny her desires. “You’re not in the right mind. You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Don’t tell me what I know,” she whispered, sliding down his thighs. Hythlodaeus’ words floated into her mind through the haze of lust. “I could have anyone I want.” Her hands found the front of Hades’ pants, gripping his arousal through the fabric. “Someone else could sate this need. _Anyone_ with viable seed would do.” She clasped at the zipper until she had tugged it down and slipped a hand inside. Her sex throbbed, knowing that only his thin underclothes separated her from what she craved. His hand found her wrist but his grip was weak and sweaty. 

“Persephone…” his voice cracked.

“I don’t want just anyone, Hades. I—”

She slid further back on the bed, lowering herself to her stomach.

“want—”

He watched, frozen in place, eyes wide and mouth agape as she settled between his thighs.

“— _you_.”

He groaned as her heated breath rolled across his length, still encased in his boxers. There was nowhere for him to hide as her lips brushed over his bulge, followed by a slow sweep of her tongue. He exhaled sharply at the feeling of wetted fabric against his sac.

“That alley we pass every day on the way home,” she sighed, pressing open-mouthed kisses against his erection. “Do you know what I imagined we’d do there?”

“What?” he sighed, fisting a hand into her sheets.

“First you would call me over there, where no one would really see us,” she said, palming the flat of his stomach before coming to the buckle of his belt. “You would kiss me until you’ve stolen all the air from my lungs. Then while I’m still dizzy, you would push me down on my knees—”

His belt had come undone. When had she done that?

“—and lift your robes so I could open your pants. And I’d tease you a bit, like I’m doing now.” He felt her tongue again, but there was something else. She rested her weight upon his leg and was grinding her sex against him. He could feel where she was soaking through the fabric. Did she even realize?

“Then I’d take you out…” 

He groaned as she freed him from the opening in his boxers, his length hard as steel in her hand. She smoothed her palm along his shaft, taking her time as if to familiarize herself with his shape. Velvet skin with a pleasant coloring that led to an engorged pink tip already glistening with pre-cum. “I knew you’d be perfect,” she cooed, a rosy peek of tongue flicking out from her lips to trace the ridge along the underside of his head. He grunted above her, sending pleasant shivers down her spine.

“Of course Hades would have a cute thing,” she laughed, rubbing a fingertip through the clear liquid that dripped from his slit. “But this is…? I didn’t know that a man could get wet like a woman does,” she said, observing the sticky strand that followed her finger when she moved away. She parted her lips and stuck her finger in, painting the clear liquid across her tongue. “It’s sweet,” she decided, and lowered her head to lap up the remaining fluid from his cock as Hades uttered some strangled moan. As if by its own accord his hand went to her hair, disheveling the messily pinned up tresses further.

“Ahhn heavens above,” she sighed, “yes, keep your hand on my head. Tell me to do this for you.”

“Tell you?” he huffed, almost laughing. “Ah… alright, fine. Let’s see how much you can fit in your pretty little mouth.”

“Nuh-uh,” she warned, swirling her tongue around the tip. “Feed it to me.”

“ _F—feed it_ to you?”

“Ilm by ilm, please!” she begged. Her thighs clamped tight around his leg, and his trousers were wet where she continued to grate her sex against him.

“You’ll be the death of me,” he murmured, but he took himself in hand while cradling the back of her head. “Here then, come on,” he urged, gently coaxing her onto his length. “That’s it. Splendid girl. You can take a little more.”

Her breath came slow as she focused on swallowing as much of him as possible, copious drool leaking from the corners of her mouth to drip along his shaft. She slid further down, soon feeling him at the entrance to her throat. She bobbed her head back and forth, attempting to push forward, mirroring the motion in the way she humped his leg.

“That’s enough,” he warned, but she insisted, even while fighting the urge to wretch. He no longer guided her, only kept his hand resting at her scalp as she tried to work him in deeper. She felt him slide further back and gagged, tightening her thighs around his leg as she spasmed in release. It was too much. She choked, and he pulled her off, catching her by the chin as she coughed to tilt her gaze up at him. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes and her lips were glossy with spittle. He stroked his thumbs across her cheeks to wipe away the salty droplets. 

“Wanton thing,” he scolded softly. “I won’t have you hurting yourself.”

He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her back, pressing his lips against hers. Her sputtering had subsided, replaced by sweet sighs as he kissed her. He tugged the clip from her hair and blindly tossed it away, letting her hair tumble freely down her back. 

"Hades," she murmured dreamily, petting his silken hair, "thank you."

" _Thank you?_ This isn't a favor," he responded in a low tone, brushing his lips over her neck. "Not when it goes both ways."

She slowly opened her eyes, realization dawning. Both ways? A delirious smile crept across her face. "You want me?"

"Want you? After having to smell your arousal all the way home?” So he _had_ noticed. “After those lofty promises of yours I intend to _have_ you." She trembled in delight, kneading his shoulders as he nipped her delicate skin. 

"Is that what you want, Persephone? You want to be _mine_ for all of eternity?"

Her desire was seeping through her underclothes, probably making a terrible mess of Hades' lap. Did he feel it? His cock rubbed against her covered slit, threatening to pull another orgasm from her. 

"Yes! I want it, I do!"

She hissed as his teeth pinched a spot below her ear. That was certain to leave a bruise.

"Do you understand what that means?" he teased. He gripped the hem of her nightdress, sliding it up over her stomach. "I'll keep you tied to my bed and filled with my seed long after your heat has passed, but it's so much more than that." 

"M—more?" she asked, her voice edging on ecstatic.

"Oh, _darling_ ," he laughed, yanking the dress up and over her head. She wailed with feverish pleasure as her body, her breasts, every part of her but that intimate place between her legs was bared to him for the first time. "I'll take the best care of you," he promised, leaving goosebumps everywhere that his hands touched.

"If you will share my bed, I suppose I must make you breakfast. I'll always save the last strawberry for you, and will let you rub your hands on me when you're cold."

"Can I play with your hair? And hold your hand in public?"

"Mhm," he acknowledged, trailing his lips along her jaw.

"Will you let me hog the bathroom sometimes?"

"I'll make you your very own." His nose brushed against hers. 

"And what do you want from me?" she asked, tilting her lips towards his.

"Love me," he whispered. "That's all I want."

She gripped his shoulders and pushed him back into the pile of pillows. His eyes at first went wide with the sting of rejection — but she wasn’t spurning him. What she felt then — her love, her desire, her absolute _adoration_ — all of it radiated from her soul like a tiny sun. Even those without the gift of ‘sight’ would have seen the affection she felt for him. And in Hades' case…

She'd never seen him so vulnerable, and for a moment she thought he might cry. She smiled as gently as she could and spoke to him, her words soft as petals.

"Do you understand now, Hades? Why I want you?" He couldn’t hold her gaze. He winced in shame.

"I'm such a fool. I made you wait all of this time." She held his face in her hands and shushed him.

"You'll make it up to me,” she said. She sounded certain.

"How could I possibly begin to?" He shook his head and her hands fell away. “I feel like I’ve lost so much time already.”

“You’ll start now,” she cooed, leaning in closer, and as Hades’ brain caught up to his eyes, he registered what he was seeing. Persephone kneeled above his lap, nearly naked as her nameday, cupping her breasts as if to present herself to him.

“Do you like what you see?” she asked before grabbing his hands, guiding them to palm her flesh. He choked on a moan as his fingers sank into her soft skin. Moved by instinct he lowered his head to suck a tender nipple into his mouth, rolling his tongue against the little bud while his thumb traced circles around the one at the opposite side. She sighed, a hint of drool leaking from the corner of her mouth as she braced her hands on his thighs and leaned back, pushing her chest further into his face. She settled onto his lap and ground herself against his hardened prick, halfway to another orgasm.

“You make the cutest noises,” she purred, reveling in the way his length slid between her lips. “Can you feel how wet I am, Hades? Do you feel what you do to me?” she laughed, her tone hitching higher and higher as she continued to move, continued to thrust her aching clit against him, and then —

“Nngaah!” Hades sputtered, her breast popping from his mouth as he shuddered and came across her stomach in thick white ropes. As the euphoria passed he tensed. Stuttered over apologies, flushed a lovely shade of red… and Persephone flashed her eyes at him, her words kittenish.

“Did that make you feel good?” She smiled proudly and put a finger to his lips to hush his babbling. “Don’t be ashamed. I want to make you happy.”

And he relented, stilled his tongue and followed her lead as she once more pushed him to recline against the pillows. “There’s just one slight problem,” she continued. She traced a finger through the mess across her stomach and brought it to her lips, smearing it like lipstick before licking it away. 

“ _That’s~not~where~I~need~it_ …”

Hades watched her dumbly as she moved back, giving herself space to grab at the front of his pants. He was vaguely aware of how out of sorts he appeared: belt unfastened, unzipped, and hanging half-erect from his boxers while Persephone fiddled with the button at the top of his pants. 

“Huh,” he observed sheepishly, a silly grin spreading across his face as he peered down at himself. “That’s never happened before.”

“What’s that?”

“It usually… takes some time to recharge,” he admitted, rubbing at the back of his neck. “I don’t know why…”

“Oh. I guess I forgot to mention—ha!” She cried out in satisfaction as she worked his button loose.

“Mention what?” His smile thinned as hers widened.

“Well, you’re the first man I’ve done this with—” He grumbled something about being the _only_ man she would do this with. “It’s part of being a Seedbearer. I have special hormones to keep you aroused.”

He blinked. “What?”

“You must have absorbed them when we kissed. Aren’t you lucky, Hades?” she cooed, and attempted to tug his pants down his hips. “We’ll be doing this all night!”

“Wa—Wait!” he cried, grabbing her wrists to stop her. “I can take these off. Hop up.”

She dismounted his lap and allowed him up, Hades easily lifting his hips to slide his trousers and boxers down narrow hips. He leaned forward to pull off his unbuttoned shirt but Persephone laid a hand on his arm to stop him. She was on her knees, wiggling her bottom in excitement. 

His nostrils flared just before he sprang and seized her by the hips, urging her closer until they were chest to chest, both on their knees, his firm hands kneading her plump buttocks.

"We need to get you out of those smallclothes before you chafe," he teased, his breath coming in heated puffs. He pressed his growing arousal against her for emphasis, rewarded by her delighted squeal. Her hands flew to her hemline, but he caught her by the wrists. 

"Let me do it."

His thumbs hooked beneath her waistband, tugging the garment down to expose her most intimate place to him; smooth skin leading to the 'v' at her center, crowned with a tuft of inky hair. His face flushed and his cock twitched as her smallclothes came away soaked, the rest of her fluids leaking from puffy pink lips to coat her thighs. 

"You're _this_ wet," he groaned, tossing her delicates aside before taking her by the hips and pulling her against him once more. His lips went to her neck, her jaw, her breasts, urged on by her wanton moaning. He was guiding her down, down…

He went wide eyed when she nudged her knee between his legs and toppled him sideways, the two of them falling into a pile and laughing. She gripped his wrists to wrestle him, knowing that he was the stronger between them, but he let her have this victory. She pinned him down and licked her lips, savoring her win. 

"This is not how I expected this to go," he huffed playfully. She lowered herself to latch onto a pebbled nipple, drawing a surprised gasp out of him. 

"I had _plans_. I intended to romance you thoroughly before seducing you." His eyes drifted to the ceiling as he relaxed under her ministrations.

"Mm, tell me about it." She was moving lower, her mouth and hands brushing sensually across his skin. 

"Why bother? You've thoroughly ruined everything." His words were sour, but he wore that self-satisfied grin of his. 

"I want to hear them," she demanded, curling her hand around his hardening length. "Tell me about your lewd fantasies while I suck you off."

"Mine? You think I have a filthy mind like yours?"

"Tell me or I'll stop." 

"Well, then."

She watched his eyes roll towards her. He was calculating something; she knew that look. 

"Come here," he beckoned, to which she shook her head. "If I will tell you my secrets, I want to get something out of it."

"Aren't I already doing something for you?" She leaned down, holding eye contact as she lazily dragged the flat of her tongue along his head. His toes curled and his stomach did a back flip. 

"How about… you bring yourself here? I intend to stretch you out a bit while you service me."

She clamped her thighs together and swallowed the lump in her throat, giddy with excitement.

"H—how?" she asked. Her voice quivered, but she had crawled back into his reach, how could she refuse? 

"Here," he commanded, taking her by the hips until her legs rested near his head, with her chest draped across his stomach. "Go on, my dear. Give me a show while I quench your thirst for this debauched knowledge."

He'd barely finished his sentence when she fell upon him, slathering his tip in drool before bobbing down on his length. She had figured to wrap her hand around the base of him, compensating for where her mouth couldn't reach. 

"Mmnngh, that's _divine_ ," he encouraged her, lolling his head aside to glimpse her glistening slit. She moaned around his cock at the feeling of his hand on her inner thigh, creating waves of pleasure that rippled down to his sac.

"Not in my wildest dreams did I envision the night taking such a turn," he sighed, stroking a finger through her sopping folds. She reciprocated by sucking deeply as she pulled up, humming contentedly to herself. 

"Enjoying yourself, darling? Shall I tell you of the exquisite tortures I've endured whenever you've had those sugary pops of yours? Watching your delicate little tongue wrap around them, your cherry lips suckling so sweetly?" He scissored his fingers to spread her lips, revealing the last of her secrets. The hooded pearl at her apex, the dark opening that would soon stretch around his girth. But before that she needed to be _ready_. 

"How many times have I had you alone and wished that you would take me into your mouth like that? How many lonely nights have I resorted to pleasuring myself to visions of you on your knees for me, peering up with those lovely eyes as I slide my cock between your lips?”

She groaned, her sex dripping around his fingers as he teased her. His thumb stroked over her clit while the tip of his middle finger brushed against her entrance, tracing circles light and slow. She squirmed and whined, took him deeper, pumped him in rhythm with the bob of her mouth.

“Oh, the _obscene_ things that I’ve longed to do to you,” he purred, sinking his finger in to the first knuckle. She sighed in satisfaction and canted her hips, urging him deeper. “And here you are, begging to be _mine_. Will you still want that after the filth I utter?”

She swallowed him easily, her generous lubrication easing the slide of his finger in and out. He pressed a second against her until she relaxed and allowed him in, gently exploring her depths.

“Sate your lust now, sweetling, for when this heat of yours has passed I intend to take my time with you. How shall I first indulge? I think I shall take you upon my lap, cradle you most tenderly as you ride my prick. Pressing into this sweet spot with every thrust—” He curled his fingers against the spongy flesh atop her inner walls, causing her thighs to spasm around his hand.

“Or shall I lay you upon my bed, flat on your stomach as I take you from behind? You can be _so impatient_ but I won’t allow you to rush me in this—I mean to take things _slow_. How long would you last, I wonder? Able only to lay there and receive the pleasure that I give you?”

He mimicked his words with the languid rhythm of his fingers, dragging them out only for her encompassing heat to suck them back in. She popped off of his cock with a muted cry, a mixture of saliva and pre-cum clinging between her lips and his tip before she licked it away.

“You’re ready for me,” she decided, flashing her eyes toward him.

"Oh?" he chuckled, eyes darkened by lust. "Then allow me to show you the depths of my feelings for you," he purred. His fingers slid out of her, thick with her arousal, and went to his mouth. In a vulgar display he licked her nectar clean, letting it pool on his tongue before taking it into his mouth. 

"I intend to have a proper taste of you later." She shivered. Hades rose to his elbows, ready to —

"I think not."

She swung herself around to mount his hips, smiling wickedly as she braced her palms against his stomach. His length pressed into her belly, and she wrapped her hand around it, lifting her hips.

"Wait," he breathed, resting a hand on her thigh. "Slow down. I said that I won't have you hurting yourself." Her grin widened. 

"You're sweet. But I've wanted this for a _long time_."

"I don't see how that—"

"Now who is being modest? I've practiced," she commented, guiding his tip to slide between her folds. His fingers dug into her thigh as he watched her, questioning.

"I wasn't getting any relief from _you_ so I had to make do with substitutions."

That took a moment to process, and then he laughed, unable to reconcile his sweet Persephone with the lustful woman in his lap. "You _what?_ "

"Come on, Hades. Do I need to explain what a dildo is?"

That took the wind out of him as she sank down upon him, the engorged head of his shaft breaching the tight muscle at her entrance. 

"Ahh… but you're… bigger than I imagined."

A thin sheen of sweat painted her skin. She parted her lips to breathe; a calming flow, in and out, to steady her hammering heart. 

"Go slow," he soothed, rubbing his thumb in gentle circles at her hip.

"It's fine. I know what I'm doing," she insisted, hissing as the girth of him past the tip met resistance. "Ahh it won't go in!" she grumbled. She nudged herself down, swayed her hips, rocked back and forth to accept him. So focused on her endeavor she missed his eyes rolling back in his head at the stimulation.

"Hades, why won't you fit!?" she whined, still gyrating over his prone form. "Am I… too small?"

At that he laughed, finding her hands and lacing his fingers with hers. " _There’s_ my sweet, innocent Persephone. Oh, dear. Your body is designed to accommodate childbirth; I promise that something this trivial shall fit."

"You don't feel trivial to me~." She was drooling again. 

"Perhaps I wanted to hear you say it," he smirked. "Now listen to me. You'll have all of me as you wish, but you won't get it like this. Relax," he beckoned, "there's no need to rush."

He released one of her hands and reached between her thighs to tease the sensitive bud there, lazy strokes of his thumb around her hood. "Close your eyes and focus on this for now. You'll do that for me, won't you?"

"Umm… yes." Her eyelids drifted shut. He watched the muscles of her stomach twitch and flex as he played with her clit, uttering words of praise and encouragement to answer her sighs. 

“There’s my good girl. You listen to me so well.” 

Her thighs tensed before she came. She gripped his hand and whimpered his name and her flesh trembled and relaxed all around him at once, letting the widest part of him pop past her last barrier. He choked as she slid down halfway, her mouth wide with a silent cry as she realized what had happened.

“O—ohhh…” she moaned, her breath coming in gasps. “ _Fuck!_ ”

Hades’ ears perked at the expletive that dropped from her mouth. Persephone _rarely_ swore. Knowing that he’d had _that_ effect on her made him harder.

“Aggh… by the Star,” she growled, working herself further down his shaft. Her mouth refused to close, stunned by the violation of her most sacred place, while Hades’ head swam with euphoria. Slick heat clenched all around, squeezing down on him ilm by agonizing ilm. His cock ached with an urge to rut and claim her while his heart fluttered, because _Persephone_ , _the woman of his dreams_ , had so eagerly speared herself upon him. Her thighs smacked upon his hips as she took him to the hilt. He dug the soles of his feet into the bed and his fingernails into his palms, letting his head fall back against the mattress. Eyes squeezed shut, he hissed through clenched teeth as his seed threatened to boil over. _Not yet, not yet!_

Sucking in lungfuls of air he opened his eyes and dared to look upon his goddess. Her mouth opened and closed as she breathed, hair spilled down to her waist in messy waves. She was radiant in how her breasts heaved. Her nails clawed into his belly as she adjusted to his penetration. 

“So good… so thick…” she mumbled, dazed by the long thing that nudged against her womb. Her hips rocked forward; Hades bit the inside of his lip. He’d been with women before, but he’d never felt like _this_. What was she _doing_ to him? Was this a side effect of her hormones? Or was it knowing that after all of his pining she was his at last?

“Going to start?” he grinned, feverish with his own mounting lust. Yes, she was definitely influencing him. “ _Mine_. Mine to love, to fuck, to _breed_. You’ll swell and spill over with my seed before I’m done with you this evening.” His hand came to rest upon her stomach, stroking lovingly at her soft skin. He leered as her hand closed over top of his. “Whether your season passes, or should you grow heavy with my child after tonight, know that you belong to me now and forever.”

She smiled back at him, her soul glowing. “Both ways, remember; you belong to me just as much.”

“Yes,” he agreed, drawing her hand to his lips. He pressed a tender kiss against her knuckles. “Always.”

“Then keep your promises, Hades,” she laughed. “You’d better give me a lot.”

“I always—” He grunted as she rolled her hips. “Always keep my promises.”

“We’ll see.” 

She took his hands, mirth on her lips, sin in her eyes, and lifted from his lap. If he’d wanted a show he was receiving it now, his cock sliding wetly from her sex before being swallowed into her hole again. Though virginal before tonight she moved with an ancient instinct: some primal will of the Star itself that guided her to ride him. She was beautiful; cheeks flushed as pink as her nipples, her breasts bouncing in rhythm with each downward stroke. His name fell from her lips like a mantra as she thrust herself against him, their mingled aethers buzzing where their hands twined, where their bodies joined, and all the spaces in-between. 

As she received him again and again, she felt him stroke over _that spot_ inside of her. Enlarged by the demands of her heat it was nigh impossible for him to miss, the widest bit of him stretching her full and pressing into that spongy mass on every thrust. Every press milked her arousal, the slippery fluid clinging to his shaft as evidence of her desire. 

“Ahh… so good,” she sighed, kneading his hands where she gripped them, a drunken smile on her face. “You’re so… so cute like this,” she teased, puffing out her words. “Hu—hurry and come inside of me, OK?” 

“Didn’t I tell you… not to rush?” She glimpsed gleaming aurum before he moved; his arms curled around her waist, locking tight to pull her down on top of him. She squeaked at the abruptness and caught herself on his shoulders, her breasts resting comfortably against his chest.

“‘Hurry’, you say.” He smirked and thrust upward, relishing the widening of her eyes. “What a fussy thing you are.” Holding her in place he rocked his hips into her heat, his hips slapping against her in a steady rhythm. “Here… this is what you want, yes? Hahh… I’ll take my time with you after this.”

She squirmed in his grip until he looped an arm around her neck, dragging her in for a kiss. Her cries became muffled against his mouth, swallowed up as he kept his pace. When he broke away, he still held her close, teased her toward… he’d lost track of how many times she’d found release so far.

“We’ll work on the rest…” he promised. His skin shone with sweat, and the flush of arousal painted him from chest to cheek. His words were more stuttered now, his grip tighter, eyes slightly unfocused. “In my kitchen… my bed… your alley… Ha… anything for…”

He buried his face against her neck and growled. She felt him twitch within her before he pressed himself deep, liquid heat pooling in her core. He held her for so long, seconds feeling like minutes as he spilled into her womb, just as she’d begged him for.

“Ha—Hades… I can f—feel it…. Ah!”

Stars exploded behind her eyes as release took her by surprise, his warmth at her center sending her over the edge. Her legs shook and her vision whited out. She lost her balance and collapsed on top of him, cooing high, sated sounds against his shoulder.

She rested contentedly atop his body, rising and falling with the expansion and contraction of his chest. One arm remained locked around her, while he combed his fingers through her hair. 

“You’re alright?” he asked. She hummed in reply. “I meant what I said.”

“About?”

“If… my seed takes root. I’ll take care of you both.” She raised her head to look into his eyes, his hand coming to cradle her face.

“Whenever I envision the future, I don’t think of anyone else. It’s always you by my side.” 

Her lips twitched before spreading in an ecstatic grin. But something else flashed in her eyes. Something dark and wicked, and he faltered.

“ _Hades~_ ”

“You can’t be…” He blinked. “ _Already!?_ ”

She swayed her hips, reminding him that he was still buried within her. “I said that we would do this _all night_. You won’t disappoint me, will you?”

Hades had never in his life felt so simultaneously turned on, and frightened.

***

“I was worrying,” Hythlodaeus chirped at them a few days later. “It’s unlike you two to miss classes.”

He glanced aside with a smile to where Hades and Persephone followed along, holding hands. She swung them back and forth merrily as they walked, effervescent and by all appearances back to normal. Hades appeared entirely exhausted, but had threatened swift retaliation if Hythlodaeus did not stop prodding him for the cause.

“All’s well that ends well, I suppose,” he shrugged. He had already given the pair an earful over _finally_ having reconciled their mutual feelings. “Though you should have called me. I would have taken over as nursemaid if I had known it would be so taxing upon your health, Hades.”

The man in question returned a very pointed look. “Touchy,” Hythlodaeus sighed.

“I’m off to Concepts,” Persephone signaled. She loosed Hades’ hand, hesitated, and then flung her arms around him in a quick squeeze. “See you at lunch,” she said, waving in farewell to Hythlodaeus before trotting off. What was that odd grin on her face?

“I’m relieved to see that she’s feeling better.” He crossed his arms and eyed Hades sideways. “Now, are you going to tell me why your aether pools within the poor girl like that? Or shall I make guesses at your sordid games?”

Hades balked, but he’d known that Hythlodaeus would notice… _that_.

“Have you heard of a ‘ _Seedbearer_ ’?” he asked, to which Hythlodaeus tilted his head in thought.

“Come to think of it, yes, I—” He dropped his posturing and whipped his gaze to Hades’ face, took in the sour look, and promptly burst into mad, howling laughter.

“Goodness!” he cried, slapping his knee. “I would never have guessed! It’s no wonder you appear as a husk this morning!” Hades scowled, his eyes slitted at the mirthful man. 

“But that aether within her… Hades, you _didn’t!?_ ” he gasped, tears leaking from his eyes. “You crude fellow, you _plugged_ the poor girl up??”

“I needed to do _something_ for her,” he grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “It was _that_ , or choosing to drug her throughout the season.”

“My, my. What a caring provider you are. Perhaps I’ll ask you to look after _me_ the next time that I fall ill.”

“I will dump you behind a building and let you fester.”

“How cruel! Oh, dear.” Hythlodaeus heaved a breath to calm himself. “Well, I’m interested to see how this experiment of yours turns out. If it fails, will I need to come to your rescue? Shall we specify a code word to signal your distress?” He sputtered, narrowly restraining another fit of hysterics.

“No,” Hades replied. His chest puffed out with his inflated ego. “I’ll manage. And it’s not terrible. I might _enjoy_ watching her wave off would-be suitors like this.”

“You’re a pervert.”

“You’re one to talk. If I find you offering her one of your _contraptions_ we will have words.”

“Me?” Hythlodaeus asked innocently. “I wouldn’t know about the creation of such lewd things.”

“I wonder.” Hades shrugged. “Shall we be off before Lahabrea misses us?”

“What’s this, you’re _eager_ to attend his lectures now?”

“I may have found a way to entertain myself for the duration,” Hades said, reminded of Persephone’s tantalizing confession. Already his mind stirred with his own variation.

“Well, do share. Or would I rather not know?”

Hades merely smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> Sex toys. Hythlodaeus creates sex toys.
> 
> I forgot to specify why this Spring was so bad. Something about a population decline and the Star urging its Seedbearer population to get busy.
> 
> \---
> 
> Are you a reader or writer who enjoys FFXIV fics? Consider joining a friendly and enabling group at the Emet-Selch discord! This story wouldn't exist without them. :)
> 
> https://discord.gg/ftFnYbe
> 
> Find me on Twitter: @AzureSummoner


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